Rupert Wyatt to direct Gambit spinoff movie

Fox has found a director for its long-awaited X-Men spinoff centring around the Cajun trickster Gambit. EW reports that the studio has secured Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Rupert Wyatt to helm the mutant’s solo movie, which has Channing Tatum attached in the lead role.

Wyatt’s reboot of the Planet Of The Apes franchise proves he’s got what it takes to craft a successful movie based on pre-existing material that appeals to both long-term fans and newbies. And while there’s still no official word on which comic storyline the film will lift its plotting and story from, Tatum has previously teased that it won’t be your typical superhero movie.

However it shakes out, this will be the first time Gambit - aka Remy LaBeau - has taken centre stage in his own feature. He previously appeared onscreen in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine played by Taylor Kitsch, a film and performance which left many fans desirous of a more loyal depiction of the ragin’ Cajun.

Tatum is on board to produce alongside Reid Carolin, Lauren Schuler Donner and Simon Kinberg, with Josh Zetumer (the Robocop remake) penning the screenplay based on an earlier treatment by X-Men comic creator Chris Claremont.